Chevrolet Impala CNG - costly saving

© ChevroletIs Impala the starting point of some close relationship between GM and natural gas used as engine fuel for cars? Perhaps, but probably not with these prices

The privilege of driving the first American sedan with factory built CNG system costs about $ 8,000. Or even more, as the gas-powered model priced at $ 38,210 is the basic LS version, just about 8,000 “bucks” more expensive than its petrol-powered counterpart with the same engine, but equipped as an LT version (V6 engine is not offered for LS models). If we were to compare models not with identical drive units, but identically equipped, the difference to the disadvantage of the CNG version gets even bigger – over $ 11,000. There will also be a gas-powered LT version available, but Chevrolet did not reveal its price, just in case.

We can expect that if Impala CNG ever gets popular, it will only be as part of fleets – otherwise it would be hard to get back the money invested in the beginning. According to the manufacturer’s calculations, switching from petrol to compressed natural gas can reduce fuel costs by about one third. American method of counting this is quite strange – they state how much lower is the price of gas based on the equivalent of a gallon of petrol compared to the same petrol. Clear? Not quite? Well, anyway, refueling with gas means that a gallon of fuel costs about $ 1,25 less. Sort of. The car will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2014.